The best Penélope Cruz’s documentary movies
Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress and model, signed at age 15, made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón (1992), to critical acclaim. Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in the 2001 films Vanilla Sky and Blow.
She has since built a successful career, appearing in films from a range of genres, from thrillers to family friendly holiday features. She has received critical acclaim for her roles in Volver (2006) and Nine (2009) receiving Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for each. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2008 for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). She was the first Spanish actress in history to receive an Academy Award and the first Spanish actress to receive a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Cruz has modeled for companies such as Mango, Ralph Lauren and L'Oréal. Penélope and her younger sister Mónica Cruz have designed items for Mango. Cruz has volunteered in Uganda and India; she donated her salary from The Hi-Lo Country to help fund the late nun's mission. A wax sculpture of Cruz will be placed in a premier spot in the Grevin Wax Museum in Paris.
And the Oscar Goes To...
7.1/10
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement.
Woody Allen: A Documentary
7.7/10
Iconic writer, director, actor, comedian and musician Woody Allen allowed his life and creative process to be documented on-camera for the first time. With this unprecedented access, Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Robert B. Weide followed the notoriously private film legend over a year and a half to create the ultimate film biography. "Woody Allen: A Documentary" chronicles Allen's career - from teen writer to Sid Caesar's TV scribe, from stand-up comedian to award-winning writer-director averaging one film-per-year for more than 40 years. Exploring Allen's writing habits, casting, directing, and relationship with his actors first-hand, new interviews with A-listers, writing partners, family and friends provide insight and backstory to the usually inscrutable filmmaker.
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer
7.3/10
An in-depth look at the rapid rise and dramatic fall of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.
Killers Kill, Dead Men Die
4.9/10
The most ambitious portfolio in the 13-year history of Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue, this year's homage to noir had its own dramatic imperatives.
Brunes et Blondes
Actresses' hairstyle in movies always carries a strong aesthetic statement associated with erotic, social, and historical meanings. In a bold and unexpected way, the film revisits this ultimate symbol of femininity in international cinema.
Once Upon a Time...: All About My Mother
6.5/10
A documentary about the making of the 1999 film ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER, featuring interviews with director Pedro Almodóvar; producer Agustín Almodóvar; actors Penélope Cruz, Marisa Paredes, Cecilia Roth, and Antonia San Juan; production manager Esther García; and author Didier Eribon.
Hitting it Hard
5.7/10
10-minute documentary short on the press tour behind Vanilla Sky.
Edited by: Cecilia Hyoun
Almodóvar, todo sobre ellas
6.5/10
When looking at Pedro Almodóvar’s filmography, it becomes evident that women are everywhere; in fact, his work revolves around them. His divas are the best to create a real portrait of Almodóvar and evoke the emotional power of his films. These women are the ideal observers of a cinematic career that, from La Mancha to Hollywood, has changed the image of Spain in the world.
Yo soy uno entre cien mil
7.3/10
Childhood leukemia, which accounts for 30% of childhood cancer, affects the lives of three in every 100,000 children. Of those affected, 20% do not survive, and these statistics have remained unchanged for over 20 years. But there's a way we can improve this outcome: through research.
